The week before Thanksgiving can feel like a blur: short days, assemblies and excited kids. A thankful reading week keeps your literacy block running with five low-prep ideas built around one theme. Pick one idea a day, or use the ones that fit your schedule.
Idea 1: Start the Week With Stone Soup
Stone Soup is a story about sharing, which makes it a great way to open a thankful week. Read it aloud on Monday and talk about what each character added to the pot.
If you want to go further, turn it into readers theater. The Stone Soup Readers Theater Scripts have two leveled versions, pre-highlighted lines, puppets and a Google Slides version. I wrote a whole 5-day Stone Soup readers theater plan if you want to use it all week.
Idea 2: Write a Thankful List
Every class needs one easy writing activity this week. The Free Thanksgiving Writing Paper includes a list-style template that’s perfect for a “Things I’m Thankful For” list. Students brainstorm on the list, then pick one item to write about on the full- or half-page paper.
The set has two line styles (primary lines with a dotted midline, and regular lines), so every writer gets the paper that fits. It also includes 20 Thanksgiving writing prompts for opinion, narrative and informative writing.
A few simple prompts to get kids started:
- What are three things you’re thankful for at school?
- Who is someone you’re thankful for? Why?
- What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food? Tell why.
Idea 3: Close Read “Being Thankful”
Short weeks are a good time for one focused close reading lesson. The November Close Reading Passages include a fiction passage called “Being Thankful” and a nonfiction passage, “The First Thanksgiving.”
Read one passage together, highlight new vocabulary words, and have students underline the details that show what the character is thankful for. Each passage comes with a full 5-day lesson plan if you want to stretch it over the week.
Idea 4: Connect Fiction and Nonfiction
After reading a fiction story, read a nonfiction passage on the same theme. “The First Thanksgiving” or “Turkeys” from the November set pairs well with your Thanksgiving read-alouds.
Ask students: “Which one tells a story? Which one teaches facts? How do you know?” It’s a quick way to practice telling fiction from nonfiction. Make a simple T-chart on the board and add one thing from each text to each side.
Idea 5: End With Thank-You Notes
Finish the week by having students write a short thank-you note to someone at school: the cafeteria staff, the custodian, the office team or a buddy class. Use the half-page writing paper with space for a picture.
The free paper also includes eight printable teacher notes. They’re nice for sending home a quick “thank you” or a word of praise before the break.
A Sample Plan for a Short Week
Thanksgiving week is often only two or three days. Here’s one way to fit the ideas in:
- Day 1: Read Stone Soup aloud and start a class thankful list.
- Day 2: Close read “Being Thankful”, then pair it with “The First Thanksgiving”.
- Day 3: Write and deliver thank-you notes.
If you have a chance, add Stone Soup readers theater and perform it on the last day before break.
Make It Easy on Yourself
The best Thanksgiving week plans are simple. Keep your normal routines, use one theme, and let the kids enjoy it. If you’re also planning writing centers this month, Teaching Firsties has plenty of Thanksgiving writing ideas.
Free for your thankful week
Thanksgiving writing paper in two line styles, a list template, a craft page, teacher notes and 20 writing prompts.
